Steven was a funeral director for 32 years and was the owner of Miller, Aikins-Farmer, and Brookport funeral homes in Massac County. He also ran Metro Limo Service.

Steven was a member of the Elks Lodge, Metropolis Rotary Club, St. Paul Lutheran Church, Sons of the American Legion, a board member at City National Bank and a former deputy coroner then Massac County coroner for 16 years.

Steven was the man who loved to play a joke or tell a joke to brighten your day. It was important to him to leave you with a smile or some little token or latest gadget he had discovered.

He was charitable beyond compare and many of you may have been a recipient of that in some way.

He was a sports enthusiast to a degree, but baseball was his favorite, especially his beloved St. Louis Cardinals. If he wasn’t in a suit, he was probably in a Cardinals T-shirt or jersey with a matching ball cap.

The funeral business was always an important part of his life, being passed down through the generations from great-uncle — to his father — to him. His services were performed with dignity and professionalism and a big dose of compassion, which helped families navigate through those difficult times.

Steven was honored to hale from Metropolis and delighted in all things Superman. He would proudly display the Superman shield on all his vehicles and bought T-shirts, mugs and anything else he could find with the Superman logo including cuff links and a pair of earrings for his wife, Sandy. He even donned the costume and made an appearance one year at a school or two.

When vacation time came, it was always someplace tropical because he loved to be in the sun and by the ocean. His family got to travel the world as long as it had a beach.

Working in the yard was a passion of his, and he could make almost anything thrive, but his biggest passion was his yearly fireworks display for the community.

It was free of charge if you wanted, but donations were always used for the next year’s display.

As a nod to this passion and community service, we are accepting donations for a memorial fireworks display this coming Fourth of July. We hope you will all come out and join us as we celebrate Steven and his love for things that light up the sky.

We hope that Steven made you laugh, helped you through a tough time or thrilled you with his fireworks. Whichever it was, thank you for being a part of his life.

Survivors include his wife of 30 years, Sandy; his children, Emily Farmer and fiancé Lance Loftus of Metropolis, Racheal Gower and husband Andrew of Metropolis and Ethan Farmer of Bradley; one grandson, Haydn Gower of Metropolis; his mother, Jeanette Farmer of Metropolis; two sisters, Carol Belt and husband Brad of Marion and Karen Holland and husband Victor of Metropolis; one brother, Richard Farmer and wife Kimberly of Metropolis; a special cousin, Lana Fowler and husband Dennis of Bradley; and several nieces, nephews, aunts and cousins.

He was preceded in death by his father, Owen Kenneth “Steve” Farmer.

Funeral service was held Monday at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Metropolis with Rev. Lauren Ley, Rev. Preston Foster and Rev. David Deem officiating. Music was provided by Stecia Gregory, organist.

The family requests that memorials be made to a scholarship fund they are establishing for future mortuary science students or towards a memorial fireworks display this coming Fourth of July, c/o Miller Funeral Home, 414 Metropolis St., Metropolis, IL 62960.

Miller Funeral Home in Metropolis was in charge of arrangements.

“There is a sacredness in tears. They are not the mark of weakness but of power. They speak more eloquently than 10,000 tongues. They are the messengers of overwhelming grief, of deep contrition and of unspeakable love.”